Family Law Back to Basics Series
This Family Law ‘Back to Basics’ series is conveniently timed outside of working hours through live online or on-demand sessions. You’ll gain valuable insights & practical skills in 5 key areas: writing letters/emails; offers of settlement; consent and other applications; dealing with financial disclosure; alternative dispute resolution and ethical issues for family lawyers. The panel of experts at each session will bring their impeccable experience to help elevate your practice to the next level. WEB226N40
Description
Attend the full series and earn 5 CPD units including:
1 unit in Ethics & Professional Responsibility
4 units in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
If you register for the full series as a live online product after the date of an individual session, you will be sent the recording for the sessions that have passed. Alternatively, you can register for individual sessions by following the links below.
Session 1
Tuesday, 28 June 2022
Gain a ‘how to’ guide to writing the perfect and persuasive letter and email no matter the message you’re seeking to convey. WEB226N40A
Chair: Jennifer Hetherington, Managing Director, Divorce Hub Legal
Professional Skills
5.00pm to 6.15pm Letters and Emails Guide for Junior Family Lawyers
- Letters and emails
- Context, background, issues, proposed action, consequences
- What is the purpose of the correspondence and how to achieve its aims?
- How to write and present an offer of settlement
- Preparing and presenting an offer of settlement
- When to use Without Prejudice and Calderbank offers
- Notice of intention to commence proceedings
- When to use other forms of communication?
Presented by Rachell Davey, Partner, Lander & Rogers
Register here for Session 1 only
Session 2
Tuesday, 19 July 2022
Gain valuable skills in how to understand, interpret, and deal with financial disclosure, making it easier and clearer for you. Take away a valuable guide on what to look out for and, in simple terms, what the financials are saying. WEB227N40B
Chair: Paul Lewis, Partner, Eakin McCaffery Cox
Professional Skills
5.00pm to 6.15pm Interpreting and Dealing with Financial Disclosures
- Interpretating the financials when they arrive
- Understanding the balance sheet
- What should you look for?
- What do you capture out of it?
Presented by Jacqueline Woods, Director, BRI Ferrier
Register here for Session 2 only
Session 3
Tuesday, 9 August 2022
Learn all the tips and traps to drafting an Application for Consent Orders and an Application for Divorce that you can apply immediately in your practice while gaining an understanding of precisely what the courts are looking for. WEB228N40C
Chair: Anna Goldthorp, Barrister, Foley’s List; Accredited Mediator
Professional Skills
5.00pm to 6.15pm Drafting an Application for Consent Orders and an Application for Divorce
Presented by Senior Judicial Registrar Dinh Tran, FCFCOA and Antonella Sanderson, Principal Solicitor & Director, Family Law Matters
Register here for Session 3 only
Session 4
Tuesday, 30 August 2022
Explore what alternative dispute resolution option might be best for your case and why. You will learn the advantages and disadvantage of each option, giving you the confidence to know that the advice you are giving your client is correct for their situation. WEB228N40D
Chair: Jennifer Hetherington, Managing Director, Divorce Hub Legal
Professional Skills
5.00pm to 6.15pm To Collaborate, Mediate, Arbitrate or Litigate? That is the Question
- Exploring the alternate dispute resolution (ADR) options
- Examining the advantages and disadvantages of each option
- Utilising ADR options to achieve a successful outcome in family law cases
Presented by Maurice Edwards, Special Counsel, Rafton Family Lawyers; Accredited Specialist in Family Law; Nationally Accredited Mediator and Accredited Arbitrator
Register here for Session 4 only
Session 5
Tuesday, 13 September 2022
Your takeaways from this session will assist you to be clear and confident regarding the ethical obligations you owe to the court, to your client, and the other side so that you are never left in a quandary over how to deal with any situation. WEB229N40E
Chair: Louise Carter, Barrister, Waratah Chambers
Ethics & Professional Responsibility
5.00pm to 6.15pm Ethics and Professional Responsibility Refresher for Junior Family Lawyers
- Conflict of interest
- Duty of loyalty to clients
- Proper communication with other practitioners
- Telephone communication between practitioners
- Communication with clients: offers, advice
Presented by Caroline Counsel, Managing Partner, Caroline Counsel Family Lawyers
Register here for Session 5 only
Presenters
Jennifer Hetherington
Jennifer Hetherington is Director and Principal Lawyer of Hetherington Family Law. She is an Accredited Family Law Specialist with over 20 years of experience in Family Law. Jennifer is also a Nationally Accredited Mediator and Registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. She holds Bachelor of Laws and a Graduate Diploma in Family Dispute Resolution Practice and is an experienced Collaborative Lawyer. Jennifer currently sits on the following committees/Boards: Queensland Law Society Family Law Committee; International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (Board Member); Queensland Association of Collaborative Practitioners Management Committee (Secretary). Jennifer is currently an adjunct lecturer in the College of Law PLT Program, Jennifer has presented papers and workshops in Australia and internationally for numerous organisations including: Queensland Law Society; Australian Institute of Family Studies; Legalwise; LexisNexis; College of Law; Association of Family and Conciliation Courts; Education CPE; Association for Conflict Resolution - Greater New York. Jennifer is a volunteer with Women's Legal Service. She has formerly been Chair of the board of Mummy's Wish Ltd., (a national charity helping families when mum is undergoing cancer treatment) a Queensland Law Society Councillor and member of the Queensland Law Society Specialist Accreditation Board. In 2017 Jennifer was awarded Sole Practitioner of the Year in both the Australian Law Awards and the Women in Law Awards. She has taken a firm which started as a sole practitioner with no support staff in September 2014, to a firm now consisting of herself and 7 staff. She was a finalist for the Family Law Partner of the Year in the 2018 Partner of the Year Awards and won CEO Magazine's Australian Business Woman of the Year award in 2018. In 2017, Jennifer and a colleague established European Family Law and Mediation Conferences and staged their first conference, in Paris and the Loire Valley, in under 12 months. In 2018, Jennifer launched Untying the Knot - Fixed Fee Family Law Solutions, an innovative family law solution which is set to transform the way families end relationships.,
Rachell Davey
Rachell has practised in family and relationship law since 2000. She has been involved in all aspects of family law with particular expertise in complex property and financial matters. Rachell holds a Master' of International Law (2005) from the University of Melbourne and practises in international family law matters involving expatriate Australians, or for clients across multiple family law jurisdictions. She is highly adept at resolving complex property matters involving corporate entities, businesses, addressing the taxation implications of settlement and third parties. Rachell has extensive experience drafting financial agreements (both pre and post nuptial) and advising clients of the appropriateness of a financial agreement in their circumstances. She also assists clients with complex parenting arrangements involving interstate and overseas relocation. Rachell is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law (2005) and previous member of the Accredited Specialist Committee. She is listed in Doyle's Guide as a Rising Star in Family Law (2016) and a leading practitioner of Parenting and Children's Matters (2018 to 2022). She has been recognised in Best Lawyers (Australia) for her expertise in Family Law. Rachell is also a regular presenter and author covering family law topics.
Paul Lewis
Paul Lewis is a Partner of Eakin McCaffery Cox and a nationally accredited Mediator. He is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law and also in Dispute Resolution. Paul has been a practising mediator since 1994. He has been a company director of Interrelate and an Editorial Consultant for the Australasian Dispute Resolution Journal for many years.,
Jacqueline Woods
Jacqueline has over 20 years of experience in forensic accounting, providing services over a wide range of matters as expert witness and as forensic consultant. Jacqueline’s forensic accounting experience includes quantification of losses in commercial disputes, breaches of contract and personal injury, and valuation of shares in, or businesses operated by, private companies, sole traders and partnerships for the purpose of commercial and family law proceedings. As independent expert, Jacqueline has given expert oral evidence in the Family Court of Australia, the Supreme Court of NSW and the Dust Diseases Tribunal of NSW. Jacqueline has carried out detailed investigations of companies’ affairs for the purpose of proposed acquisitions, quantification of fraud and assisting in negotiations to purchase private company shares or businesses. She has also provided litigation support services including assisting lawyers with the interpretation of financial aspects of legal agreements and preparing critiques of opposing expert reports.
Anna Goldthorp
Prior to being called to the Bar, Anna Goldthorp worked for Coote Family Law where she practised exclusively in Family Law. Anna has a broad range of experience in Family Law including children issues, property and child support matters. In particular, she has extensive experience in children’s matters and has regularly appeared on behalf of the Independent Children’s Lawyer. Anna has been recognised as a leading barrister in Parenting & Children's Matters in Victoria by Doyles Guide (2019, 2020 and 2021). Anna is an Accredited Family Law Mediator.
Senior Judicial Registrar Dinh Tran
Dinh Tran was born in Vietnam and arrived at Darwin, Australia in November 1977 as a boat refugee. Dinh was 9 years old at the time and spoke no English. Notwithstanding that, Dinh Tran completed her Tertiary Education with UNSW, Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Science. She commenced practising as a private solicitor in 1992 and joined the Legal Aid Commission as a Family Lawyer in 1996 and became an Accredited Family Law Specialist. Dinh Tran was appointed as a Registrar of the Family Court in 2000. Dinh is a volunteer for STARTTS (NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors). She has been an award recipient for the work dealing with Domestic Violence. She was the recipient of the 2009 Refugee Humanitarian Award and was the 2010 Refugee Week Ambassador. In 2011 Dinh Tran was the recipient of the Silver Arrowhead Award from Scouts Australia for Excellent Service. 2018 received the Silver Wattle Award from Scouts Australia for Outstanding Service. Western Sydney Women 2019 finalist Inspirational Woman Award category – She is currently on the Board of various non-profit organisations and charities – she has being nicked-named “Pocket Rocket”.
Antonella Sanderson
Founder and Principal Solicitor / Director of Family Law Matters, Antonella has been dedicated to focusing her career in Family Law since University days in 1994, and officially began her legal career focused firmly in Family Law starting in 1999. Antonella thoroughly enjoys mentoring and training young lawyers who identify Family Law as their area of passion – she runs a practise that encourages her young lawyers to be proud of their chosen specialty, where education is a high priority, and now working from home is the welcome norm. This year, Antonella is looking forward to learning to sail – and try out the mobile coverage at 50 nautical miles offshore on a 34 foot catamaran – hoping MS Teams video conferencing will still work from all the way out there.
Maurice Edwards
Maurice Edwards is an Accredited Family Law Specialist, Registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP), Nationally Accredited Mediator and Accredited Arbitrator. He is a Collaborative Family Lawyer and is President of the Greater Sydney Collaborative Family Law Group. Maurice is a Public Notary and a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries. Maurice has developed an expertise in International Family Law parenting matters and has represented clients in cases under the Hague Child Abduction Convention in the Family Court of Australia, the Full Court of the Family Court and the High Court of Australia. He has trained in Japan specifically in the mediation of disputes relating to the Abduction Convention. Maurice is named in the Doyles Guide of Leading Family Law Mediators - NSW, 2019. Maurice has 35 years experience in family law and is Special Counsel at Rafton Family Lawyers.
Louise Carter
Louise Carter practices predominately in family law and has experience in a wide range of family law issues, including parenting matters and complex financial matters following the breakdown of a marriage or de-facto relationship. Prior to being called to the Bar in 2021, Louise was a Senior Associate at a leading family law firm in Sydney and a Family Law Specialist accredited by the Law Society of NSW. Louise has also been recognised in Doyle’s Guide in the area of Family Law. Prior to her time as a family lawyer, Louise was a Legal Associate to two Family Court judges in Sydney. Louise accepts briefs to appear in city, suburban and regional Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia matters. Louise also accepts briefs in the areas of estate and family provision law.
Caroline Counsel
Caroline Counsel is the principal of Caroline Counsel Family Lawyers: Better Families, Brighter Futures. She is an Accredited Family Law Specialist, trained as a Collaborative Lawyer and Mediator & Arbitrator and Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner of some 30+ years’ experience. Caroline is a Past President of the Law Institute of Victoria (2011) and current member of the Board as well as a past Board and Executive Member of the Law Council of Australia. In the past, she has been Co-Chair of the LIV’s Collaborative Practice Section and presently holds the Family Violence Portfolio for the Institute as well as Co-Chair of the Family Violence Working Group at the LIV. Caroline is a State government appointed member of the Industry Taskforce on Family Violence. She is one of the inaugural board members of the Victorian Legal Admissions Board (appointed by Victorian Attorney General June 2015) and still sits on the VLAB Board as well as the Admissions Committee.